John Dowd (CEO)

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John Dowd
Born (1966-12-11) December 11, 1966 (age 55)
Sunbury, Pennsylvania
Alma materPenn State University
OccupationExecutive
Spouse(s)Tina Dowd
WebsiteSundance Vacations

John Dowd (born December 11, 1966) is an American-born executive. He is the CEO and co-founder of Sundance Vacations, a wholesale vacation company based in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania,[1] and is also a very active member of the community, serving on the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce,[2] as the chair of the grants committee for the Luzerne Foundation and the Parent Advisor for the Youth Advisory Committee.[3] He also serves on the board of trustees for Wyoming Seminary.[4]

Dowd, with the help of his wife Tina, co-founded Sundance Vacations in 1991 after working in the vacation industry.

Dowd purchased a new property and built the current headquarters of his business in 2007.[5]

Early life, education and career[]

Dowd was born in Sunbury, Pennsylvania[1] and attended Shikellamy High School.[3] Later, he received a Bachelor of Engineering from Penn State University.[1] Dowd also served as an Army Reservist with the United States Army Reserve.

His career with Sundance Vacations started in 1991 as a small marketing operation with just himself and his wife. The company has since grown to employ over 700 employees[3] and has offices in four states. Dowd began the permission marketing portion of Sundance Vacations in 2003.

Charitable endeavors[]

In 2013, Dowd, along with his wife Tina, donated $50,000 to St. Vincent de Paul Soup Kitchen located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.[6] The company donated $5,000 to the Wyoming Valley Children's Association (WVCA) and was the presenting sponsor for the April 22, 2017 Walk-a-Thon. Sundance Vacations is also a supporter of Volunteers in Medicine.[7][circular reference] This year, they were the Hulu sponsor at the $5,000 level for the annual fundraiser that they have participated in for over three years. John Dowd is partnering with the United Way of NEPA and NASCAR for the Race for the Kids covered by WNEP. This event held at the Pocono Raceway, also known as the "tricky triangle" will raise awareness of, and generate revenue for early childhood education in the community. Derrick Cope, #55 is the sponsored driver for the event .

Awards[]

Dowd was named to the Glassdoor list of the Highest Rated CEOs for Small and Medium Businesses in North America on June 10, 2015.[8]

Dowd was honored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, in 2014, as an Outstanding Philanthropist.[9]

Dowd, and his wife Tina, were recognized by U.S. Representative of Pennsylvania's 11th congressional district, Lou Barletta, and were awarded the Volunteers of America Spirit of Youth Award.[3]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Executive Profile: John Dowd". Bloomberg Business. Bloomberg.com. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  2. ^ "Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce Board". Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce. Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d "Congressional Record". Government Publishing Office. United States Publishing Office. April 15, 2011. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  4. ^ "Wyoming Seminary welcomes new Board of Trustees members". Wyoming Seminary News Release. September 3, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  5. ^ Detter, Shannon (November 14, 2007). "Detter Helps Sundance Vacations Find New Home". hinerfeldcommercial.com. Hinerfeld Commercial Real Estate. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  6. ^ Wellock, Bill (October 27, 2011). "Sundance Vacations owners donate $50,000 to food kitchen". Citizens' Voice. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  7. ^ Miller, Mark (June 22, 2017). "Volunteers in Medicine".
  8. ^ Roberts, Daniel (June 10, 2015). "These are the top-rated small business CEOs". Fortune Magazine. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  9. ^ Baress, Joe (November 16, 2014). "Business Briefcase, November 16, 2014". The Times-Tribune. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
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